1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and a device in which navigational information for a vehicle is superimposed on an image of the vehicle environment, this graphic representation of the navigational information being transformed by a perspective transformation.
2. Description of Prior Art
Such a method or such a device is known from European patent application EP 0 406 946 A1.
In addition, there are navigation systems today which display to the driver the recommended route at a junction by means of pictograms and emit acoustic information, e.g. “Take the second turning on the right” or “Drive straight on at the roundabout”. Some systems also additionally show the recommended route on a map.
A vehicle is deemed below to refer not just to land vehicles but also to watercraft and airplanes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to indicate a method and a device for displaying navigational information for a vehicle such that the route through road traffic to a defined destination is displayed to a vehicle driver in an intuitive and easily comprehensible manner.
According to the invention, this object is met by a method for displaying navigational information for a first vehicle to a driver of the first vehicle, including the steps of displaying navigational information for the first vehicle in the form of a virtual pilot vehicle superimposed on an image of the vehicle environment of the first vehicle, determining a position, an orientation and a size of the displayed virtual pilot vehicle based on a current speed of the first vehicle, reference points for a recommended route, a position and orientation of the vehicle, a position and orientation of a camera for recording the first vehicle environment and an eye position and a line of sight of the driver, and using the virtual pilot vehicle to display a route or action recommendation indicating to “keep minimum distance from the vehicle ahead in accordance with the current driving speed” by positioning the virtual pilot vehicle on the image of the vehicle environment such that it appears to be proceeding in front of the driver at precisely the minimum distance currently required. Driving too close to a second vehicle in front of the first vehicle is shown by the second vehicle being located in the image between the driver and the virtual pilot vehicle.
The further claims relate to preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention.
The invention will be described below with reference to embodiments represented in the drawings, in which: